Uhhhhhhhhh yeah so look, I can’t really know what it’s like to write and release albums for the same band for 30+ years like Jonas Renske and Anders Nystrom of Katatonia have. Sure, the pair have taken the band on a number of artistic and stylistic twists and turns along the way to keep things new and interesting, but that’s a LONG fucking time to be coming up with fresh ideas, and not just musically! I’m talking even just song and album titles. It’s a lot!

So I’m willing to forgive the fellas for all of those words they just kinda threw together here. Like, sure, it is a complete and, with a little patience, coherent statement, but it kinda reminds me of corporate lingo in the way that it uses so many additional and unnecessary words just to say “Waking Nightmares.” That’s it! That’s all they had to say. When I go to drop a deuce, I don’t say I’m “Ejecting the Spent Remains of Otherwise Masticated and Digested Foreign Substance.” I took a shit.

Anyway, you’re not here for the autism you wanna know if this album is good or not. Right.

At this point, it might be fair to assume Katatonia certainly doesn’t have anything to prove to anyone, but the recent bombshell departure of Anders Nystrom suddenly sees the band, Jonas Renske especially, under a new and unexpected microscope. I also did opine that 2023’s Sky Void of Stars was one of the best and most complete efforts the band had put together in quite some time – certainly not far removed from the darker, more goth-leaning sort of melodic rock/metal this era of Katatonia has settled into as of late, but a much more focused and memorable version of it for sure.

The first thing you’ll probably notice with NAEOTWS is that, perhaps not actually that shockingly, the departure of Nystrom seems fairly negligible. Certainly, this is owed in large to the prevailing notion that Renske has pretty much been the captain at the helm of Katatonia for a bit now. All the hallmarks are here – the startling and off-putting sudden start to the album on opener “Thrice” which, once again, somehow caught me off guard and ill-prepared for the band to get right down to business. It is however, another in a long-running streak of killer album openers, and showcases the band’s more progressive leanings in stellar order, with clever, evolving riff work from new guitarists Nico Elgstrand and Sebastian Svalland. Granted, it’s fair to wonder how much input either had into the riffs or songwriting but, either way, the signature Katatonia tone and timing is all instantly recognizable. You could remove Renske’s vocals from the track altogether and there’s still be no question who recorded it.

A big part of that “Katatonia sound” at this point is also unquestionably the drumming of Daniel Moilanen, now having been with the band for nearly a decade and having established a style all his own that goes such a long way to setting the tone of each record he’s been a part of. His ability to carry the pace on tracks like “Wind of No Change,” “Lilac” and “Warden” where good stretches are left to him to carry the load is impressive and necessary to the entire picture Renske is painting. I point out these three in particular as they are real standouts on the album, the first having such an immense presence with chanted backup vocals and sturdy, heavy riffing that all come together to feel like I’ve stumbled into some kind of cult ritual where, I have a sneaking suspicion they’ll be “borrowing” some of my blood. “Warden” features one of the album’s catchiest choruses that will find appeal with metalheads and goths alike, (once again) brilliantly bridging the gap between the two in a way it seems only Katatonia is this capable of.

And really, for better or worse (depending on your perspective) that whole “this is obviously Katatonia” vibe is prevalent through the entire album. The guitars, using whatever effect it is they’re using on on “The Light Which I Bleed,” are unique and obvious to this band alone. The pacing of the album, the tone and ebbs and flows, I can’t really say any of it is unpredictable. For me, this is not a complaint. Much like my love for bands like Amorphis and Children of Bodom and Mors Principium Est, you’re likely never going to catch me complaining about getting more of a sound I love. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a band finding their lane, especially if it’s so unique to them, and sticking with it so long as they’re still keeping the songs engaging – and Katatonia certainly have done that again here on (insert ridiculous name here).

So if you’re wondering what life after Nystrom sounds like for Katatonia, the truth is, it sounds a whole heck of a lot like it has for getting on the past couple decades. If it wasn’t clear before, this is now Jonas Renske’s ship to steer. For those of us who’ve been on board, the seas are steady and clear. If you’ve been looking for a reason to jump ship, grab a life jacket and take a nose dive, I guess. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

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